Finland's 2024 Biennial report on the implementation of the Child Guarantee – an overview
Three years after the adoption of the European Child Guarantee, EU Member States are releasing the first report on its implementation. The reports offer an overview of the context, target groups, and services established to execute the European Child Guarantee’s National Action Plans. Additionally, they include sections covering indicators, financing details, and insights and conclusions gleaned from the implementation process.
The Finnish Government submitted its 2024 Biennial report on the implementation of the Child Guarantee in March 2024.
The report focuses on:
- Early childhood education and care: Child-to-staff ratios in day-care centres have been lowered, and children's access to tailored support for development, learning, and well-being has been strengthened. The National Child Strategy has promoted inclusivity through multilingual lesson materials and parent-teacher evening resources.
- Education and school-based activities: An extended compulsory education was introduced in 2021, ensuring free textbooks and tools. The Right to Learn program strengthened basic education by addressing achievement gaps, prioritising local school admissions, improving literacy, reducing class sizes, and reforming financing to promote educational equality.
- Healthcare: Finland has undertaken a reform of the healthcare system. All children have access to free child health clinics or student welfare services. These services monitor growth, promote health and well-being, support families, and provide early identification and intervention for special needs. Reforms in mental health legislation aim to improve service availability, alongside action plans to support youth struggling with substance use.
- Healthy nutrition: Free school meals are provided to all primary and secondary students, ensuring access to nutritious meals with fruits, vegetables, and a main course through public catering services. The new Nordic recommendations focus on the use of a larger amount of plant products.
- Adequate housing: To address the rising electricity prices, support was provided to families, including VAT reductions and direct aid. Social assistance for families with children increased in 2023, but child benefits' real value is still much lower than in 1994.
Check out the rest of the 2024 Biennial reports on the implementation of the Child Guarantee!
Eurochild and its members will continue to call on Member States to release their biennial reports and work to ensure the Child Guarantee National Action Plans help end child poverty.
This summary provides key highlights from the Biennial report on the Child Guarantee implementation in Finland published in March 2024. It is not exhaustive or evaluative.
